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Jan 5, 2016

The Limits of Compassion and the Morality of Nationalism

In my last post, I used an image from a humorous meme
called "Islamic Rage Boy," which uses well-timed photos to regale us
with hilarious facial expressions. As funny as the pictures are, the man
behind the meme, Kashmiri activist Shakeel Ahmad Bhat, has lived a
rather harrowing life.
It's no wonder he's so angry. If I were illiterate, crippled on account
of being tortured, and had watched my sister get thrown out of a
window, I too would be enraged; and to top it all off, the poor man is
now an object of international ridicule.

The reason why I bring up someone like Islamic Rage Boy is because he
made me ponder immigration, nationalism, and the supposed obligation
that Western countries have to allow destitute people like Bhat to
emigrate and seek a better life. Obviously, the nationalistic alt right
would prefer that the likes of Bhat stay put in their home countries.
But in my opinion, for nationalism to function as a truly powerful
force, it requires more than a defensive fear about immigration and
shifting demographics – as rational as such fear may be.

Nationalism also requires a moral component, which it
most certainly possesses. At least for me, being a nationalist entails
more than supporting white interests at home; it also involves
respecting the nationalism and sovereignty of other groups. Therefore,
while I consider people like Shakeel Ahmad Bhat barbarians, I do not
believe that it is the White Man's Burden to meddle in the affairs of
said barbarians. Meddling tends to inspire rage and the potential for
retaliation, and India's meddling in Bhat's Kashmir is no exception.
That's why I join
conservative thinkers such as Pat Buchanan – among many others – in
firmly opposing imperial wars of aggression. As culturally backward as
much of the non-Western world is (except on certain issues),
such backwardness does not concern me, provided that the wretched of
the earth don't bring their primitiveness to our backyard. A truly moral
nationalism supports self-determination for all nations around the
world.

What real violence and extremism looks like

I would even go so far as to argue that the nationalistic right shows
far greater care for non-white lives than "respectable" mainstream
elites. Just take the repugnant Hillary Clinton, who recently claimed that ISIS would make use of Donald Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric for recruitment purposes. Keep in mind, this is the same Hillary Clinton
who voted for the Iraq war; the same Hillary Clinton who advocated
intervention in Libya; the same Hillary Clinton who now supports a
"no-fly" zone over Syria. Needless to say, hawks like Hillary have done far more to
engender radicalism and violence among Muslims – ultimately culminating
in the rise of ISIS – than any of Trump's inflammatory statements.
Far-left site Counterpunch seems to agree.

Sadly, in today's idiotic and amoral America, people like
Hillary – whose favored policies have resulted in the deaths and
displacement of millions of brown people around the world – and
her supporters get a pass, while alt righters like us who respect the
Global South's sovereignty are branded hateful extremists. But of
course, our beliefs are neither extreme nor unreasonable; it's perfectly
sane to be wary about your group's dwindling numbers and declining
status, and only a traitor or delusional fool would support the
large-scale importation of culturally disparate populations.

With that said, what I want to make abundantly clear is that I do not
bear any ill will towards non-whites or would-be immigrants. I also
don't hate immigrants for wanting to pursue their interests and improve
their lives. As already mentioned, I likewise support a humane foreign
policy that does not inflict harm on the non-white world. I don't hate
different human beings; I abhor the elites who import them and who
support white dispossession.

My compassion does, however, have limits. Just because I support other
people's independence does not mean that I (or other people) have a duty
to bend over backwards to accommodate their every need and whim;
Western nations are not giant soup kitchens for the world's penurious
masses to flock to. That's why I embrace a moral nationalism that
respects the 3rd world's boundaries – while simultaneously maintaining
our own. I'm sure someone like Islamic Rage Boy couldn't possibly
object.